The Tennessee Titans just snagged their first win of the season in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, but here’s the kicker: they did it without one of their biggest offseason signings. Cornerback Alontae Taylor, who signed a massive $58 million deal, wasn’t out due to injury. Nope, he was a healthy inactive, a full-on coaching decision by Robert Saleh to bench the guy six weeks into his Titans tenure. That’s a wild move for a player who was widely considered the top corner in free agency back in March.
The Bench Heard Around The League
Alontae Taylor was supposed to be a cornerstone for the Titans’ defense. He signed a three-year, $58 million deal, making him a major investment for the team. But after just five weeks of play, Saleh pulled the plug, making him a surprise healthy scratch for their Week 6 matchup. When you bench a player who’s less than two months into that kind of contract, it sends a massive signal. It practically screams that something’s not working, and it immediately puts the player’s future with the team in question. This isn’t just a minor adjustment, it’s a shocker that has the whole league paying attention.
Trade Deadline Drama Brewing
It didn’t take long for the trade talk to heat up. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was quick to reveal that Taylor is now on the radar as a “sleeper trade target” at the upcoming trade deadline. With the Titans sitting at a rough 1-5 record, they’re clearly going to be sellers, even if they don’t have a ton of players that will attract major interest. Taylor, however, is a name to watch. While it would be a huge surprise to see him traded so early into his deal, that Week 6 benching has opened the door to just about anything.
The big hurdle for a trade would definitely be financial. There’s a lot of money still owed to Taylor, which could make interested teams less willing to part with significant draft capital. But if a team is okay with that financial situation and willing to give up something decent, then a Taylor trade is absolutely on the table for the Titans. Could a new defense, perhaps one more suited to his strengths as a slot cornerback, help him turn things around? The Titans don’t have to trade him, they could always hope he finds his form, but offers are likely coming in, and they might just pull the trigger on a surprise deal this Fall.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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